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CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS, October 28, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — With activities marking October as the Month of the Elderly coming to a close, the Social Services Seniors Recreation Group on Nevis entertained patrons at the Nevis Performing Arts Centre (NEPAC) on Thursday October 27, in a night dubbed ‘Talent Explosion 2022’ featuring the Jerusalema Dancers ‘Seniors Version’.

Organised by the Senior Citizens Division in the Nevis Island Administration’s Ministry of Social Services, the event which was held under the theme ‘Older Persons Deserve our Respect and Attention’ saw the energetic seniors put in three groups, St. Georges and St. John’s Group, the St. James Group, and the St. Paul’s and St. Thomas Group, each came on stage and danced to the popular Jerusalema dance challenge tunes.

“The seniors have a lot of talent and they love to display their talent,” said Minister of Culture, Youth, Sports, Community Development and Telecommunications and Information, in the Nevis Island Administration, the Hon Eric Evelyn. “We have a very lively bunch of seniors on the island of Nevis, and they actually long and wait for something like this.”

Leading the patrons at NEPAC was the Deputy Governor General on Nevis, Her Honour Hyleeta Liburd MH, OBE, and Mr Elmo Liburd, who sat throughout the event even as they met and mingled with members of the general public.

“I am very pleased that the Deputy Governor General, Her Honour Hyleeta Liburd, and Mr Liburd were in the audience,” said the Hon Evelyn. “She always patronises our events and I am very happy that she was here tonight to see the talent of our seniors on display.”

The Honourable Minister, who had rushed from St. Kitts where he had taken part in the first sitting of the National Assembly since the August 5 General Elections where he was returned as the Parliamentary Representative for Nevis 10, said that Talent Explosion 2022 was part of Seniors Month for 2022. He pointed out that it was a very packed month coming after a two-year break where activities for the seniors had been curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“They have been practising very hard,” observed Hon Evelyn. “At least what I saw tonight was excellent – they would have done very, very well, and the persons in the audience were entertained from start to finish. I also want to say thanks to persons who came out in their numbers, because persons are accustomed to having a great show when the seniors put on a show and so we are happy.”

He commended staff at the Seniors Division in the Social Services Department for once again organising a very successful entertaining event that was geared towards the general public, noting that both the seniors and the persons who were at NEPAC had fun.

“Commendation to the seniors, commendation to the staff at the Social Services Department, and commendations to all who would have assisted in putting this event together,” said Hon Evelyn in conclusion. “Well done, and I am very pleased as the Minister of Social Development.”

While the event was slated for 6:30 p.m., the seniors had been dropped in two busloads at the Nevis Performing Arts Centre (NEPAC) by 5:15 p.m. It was the audience that came late, forcing the event to start at 6:45 p.m.

The ceremony which had Mr Curtis ‘Sandopey’ Morton Sr. as the master of ceremonies, opened with the combined seniors group performing a song, after which two poems were performed by Ms Valerie Thompson and Mr John Keld, before that St. Georges and St. John’s Group came on stage to perform the Jerusalema Dance.

A duet was performed by Sister Patsy and Sister Viola, a skit by Ms Velma Jones and company, a poem by Reverend Eunice Griffin, and they were followed by the St. James Group who performed the Jerusalema Dance. Next in line was a song by Ms Patricia Mayers, drama by the staff of the Seniors Division, a poem by Ms Annie Brandy, the St. Paul’s and St. Thomas Group performed the Jerusalema dance, and a skit by Ms Carmen Phillip and Company.

Not to be outdone were staff of the Senior Citizens Division led by Coordinator, Ms Trudy Prentice, who also presented a drama depicting how they humanly deal with indigent persons on the streets and later took to the stage as a way of bringing down the house on the highly successful Talent Explosion 2022 as they danced to the Jerusalema dance challenge tunes.